The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1887-12-14
THE WONDERFUL ISLAND.

Al DOOh adventures DN
Land and Sea-" which 1 picked up tht
other day, saw brief reference to the
strange adventures of Captain Wheaton,
of the ship Starlight. Among all the
forecastle yarns | ever heard, that story
takes the medal, and when am through
relating it the reader will be as much
mystitied as have always been regarding
1t. Indeed, never yet met sailor who
did not firmly believe in the truth of
Captain Wheaton's every statement.
tell the story because was an actor in
the first and last chapters.
1t was in October, 1859, that shipped
as second mate on the Starlight, which
was then lying in the port of Honolulu
She was an old whalcr, and had been sold
at auction and cheaply reftted for a
voyage to Lima and return, in the in
terests of some California shippers. We
left port in ballast only, and were
two men short OF our complement Capt
Wheaton was Barnegat man, and the
crew all English-speaking people, anu
for the first fortnight no ship ever had
better weather. The Captain, as
understood him, was an earnest consci-
entious man, being above the average in
point OF inte diligence, and of strictly
temperate habits. The first mate brought
demijohn Of whiskey aboard the day
before sailing, but the Captain made him
ship 1t ashore at once, and he cautioned
the forecastle men that he would clap
the man in irons who was found the
worse for liquor. The men used to slyly
refer to him as "the Sunday-school
Iperintendent," and believe he was
good enough to have filled the bill.
AT the end of the fortnight the fine
weather was broken by rousing gale
which struck us during my night watch,
and all hands had to be called. We
had hard time of it during the
first hour, and were finally COM
PEELED to lie to, and it was
while we were bringing the ship to
the wind that the Captain was washed
overheard by heavy sea which boarded
us. With him went one of the sailors,
the hencoops, several spare spars and
booms, and lot of deck rattle, and by
the time the ship had shaken herself clear
of the foam it was too late to renderany
assistance. Indeed, it was q serious
question just then whether any of us
would live another half hour. The storm
did not break for nearly twenty-four
hours, and The old ship was so strained
and knocked about that her life was
ended. The gale had scarcely abated
when she began to leak faster than the
pumps could throw the water out, and
on the seventee uth day Of the voyage we
had to abandon her. When we had been
atioat for four days in the open boats we
NEyn aHnLr rnh hUvN 4
Yankee Boy, bound from Boston to San
Francisco. We were then to the north
of the equator, and fully 100 miles from
the Galapagos Islands. These island lie
a good distance 10 the left of the true
course from Honolulu to Lima, and at
that date every one of them was well
known, and all were inhabited by natives
who could speak more or less English.
Now, as we got the gale dead from the
North, and as the send of the sea was
Southwark for several days. Captain
Wheaton could not possibly have been
foated toward the Galapagos. He must
have been driven down toward the
equator, or possibly toward the Mar
quesas group, although to reach any of
those islands he would have had TO drive
for hundreds of miles and for days and
weeks. How was man swept over
board in gale to sustain himself above
a few hours, even if not drowned at
oncei Ask yourself these questions, and
you will answer them as all others have
done, and you will be as greatly mysti-
fed over the Captains story.
On the fourth day of September, 1850,
as the English whaling ship Lady Bas-
combe was nearing the equator, beiug
about midway between the Marquesas
group and the Galapagos, and the time
being IL o'clock at night, she was hailed
from out of the darkness, and five min
utes later had Captain Wheaton aboard.
He had then been afoat for three days
and half on small but well con-
structed raft, which was provided with
a sail, and had carried HIM safely aud
buoyantly an estimated distance of 120
miles. The Captain was in good health
and spirits, but could answer no ques-
tions until he had seen the Captain of
the Bascombe. The sailors knew that he
must have been wrecked, but that he
should be alone and in such seeming good
health in that dreary spot was a great
mystery to them. Captain Moore of the
DhSNOulbC lii VI llt lOSs Vi lut
Starlight, and when Captain Wheaton
introduced himself he created a big sensa-
tion. He was at first taken for an i'm
poster, but he had letters aud documents
in his pocket to prove his identity at once.
That being settled, he told his story. l
have heard him tell it four OF five times
over, and can relate it almost word for
word.
When Captain Wheaton was swept
overheard he gave himself up for lost.
He got but one look at the ship, and
realizing that she was driving away from
him and he was beyond rescue, he ceased
swimming aud hoped to drown at once.
Just then a hencoop floated within reach,
and in a second he changed his mind
and fastened to the float. He was clear
on the point of floating all that day and
far into the night. Then he lost CON
sciousness, but did not let go Of his float.
He remembered nothing of the next day
until about an hour before sundown,
when he opened his eyes and came to
his senses to find himself lying on the
sands, his float near by, and the storm
cleared away. He was stiff ana sore and
bewildered, and he crawled further up
the shore and went to sleep again, and it
was sunrise before he again opened his
eyes An hour later he knew that he
was on an island about three miles long
by one mile wide. 1t was well wooded
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